Any railroaders on here?

[Jacques Gabelout]

Edward, thank you very much !
I will transmit your compliments to our great friend
Roger Huet, photographer 3/D.
It was he who choose the song for the train...
We accompagned by live for twenty years

Picture file

Friendships Nickie and Jacques

[Jacques Gabelout]

Thanks for that Jacques! I've honestly never associated "Steel Guitar Rag" with a rolling train...but you pulled it off splendidly!

This 29/02, I had phone call from Roger Huet :
It thank you very very much...!
J.G.

[Mike Wilson]

Don, I'm an engineer and I can definitely relate to your comment about "dose of reality". That is why I don't comment much on railroads or glamorize them, because they are anything but glamorous. Used to be a great and fun job back in the day, but it has turned into so much BS, that it is unbelievable the rules and crap they have come up with. Granted, a lot of it is I in name of safety, but I think a bigger portion of the crap is for someone to build a legacy for themselves. "Hey look what I did." They are more interested in the dollar than they are moving freight. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do as an engineer, just hate the BS that goes with it. Counting the days. It kills me when I run in to someone who is a foamer and they try to impress me with all their knowledge. I sometimes just want to turn to them and say, Buddy, if you haven't work on the railroad, you don't know s%$#. There's more to the railroad than the blue and yellow paint that's on the engine. Little story...Went up to the trainmasters office a few weeks ago and there was a young trainmaster up there that had 3 years total on the railroad telling an engineer with about 25 years service how to throw a switch. I had to leave and go outside cause I was laughing so hard I about puked. I could go on and on, but I won't. Like I said, I love my job, but it definitely is not glamorous and like you said, there is definitely a dose of reality to be had.

[Charlie McDonald]

"Once I had a railroad, I made it run...'--Brother Can You Spare Me A Dime.
The railroad has a history, for sure. Lot of energy and power, too.

[Alan Brookes]

Edward, thank you very much !
I will transmit your compliments to our great friend
Roger Huet, photographer 3/D.
It was he who choose the song for the train...
We accompagned by live for twenty years

Picture file

Friendships Nickie and Jacques

He might know me. I've been active all my life in three-dimensional (stereoscopic) photography. I was making 3D movies in Paris in 1973. My main interests are in railways and I also play steel guitar.
The combination of railways, steel guitar and 3D photography, probably only has a small number of adherents.

[Don R Brown]

Mike Wilson - I remarked in my original post about how trains and music seem to fit together. And reading your post, and other things on PSG Forum, I think another way they are similar are that the best days seem to be behind us - at least in some ways.

I only took up steel after I retired so I missed out on the heyday, but I love hearing the stories these guys can tell about playing 7 nights a week, strange gigs, problems with fellow band members, etc.

And I think the best days of railroading are gone also. You have to have a manual and follow 5 rules just to blow your nose. People making the rules often have little experience or knowledge of how things work. IMHO they have taken the fun out of it.

I won't stray TOO far from the forum's purpose by getting into railroad "war stories" here. But man, the stuff that can be told! I don't know how long you have until you can pull the pin but I can tell you retirement is wonderful!